Department for Transport

Cycling: Accidents

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pedestrian deaths involving a cyclist were recorded in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

baroness sugg: The information requested is in the table below:  Number of pedestrians killed and injured when hit by pedal cyclists in Great Britain, 2012 to 2016  Number of casualtiesYearKilledInjuredTotal2012243043220136460466201454934982015244244420163457460Source: DfT STATS19 (RAS30018)

Cycling: Dangerous Driving

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the law concerning dangerous driving to include dangerous driving by cyclists.

baroness sugg: The Cycle Safety Review was announced on 21 September 2017. Phase 1 of the review will consider the case for a new offence for cyclists akin to causing death or serious injury by careless or dangerous driving.

Mileometers: Fraud

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their recent response to the consultation on vehicle clocking means that no further action will be taken, or whether it means that consideration is being given to further action in the light of the responses to the consultation; and if it is the latter, whether the outcome of that consideration wil be announced before the end of 2017.

baroness sugg: The Government’s published response to this consultation indicates that the Government will consider further what measures, if any, are needed. The outcome of that decision will be announced in due course.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) whetherthey are able tooblige Greybull to contribute towards the cost of repatriating passengers stranded outside the UK due to the failure of Monarch Airlines; (2) whether Greybull ranks as a senior creditor of Monarch in receivership; and (3)how many Monarch passengers were stranded in the UK and not repatriated with government assistance.

baroness sugg: There is no formal legal mechanism we can use to oblige Greybull to contribute towards the cost of repatriating passengers. Whether Greybull ranks as a senior creditor of Monarch in receivership is a question for the administrators. The role for Government was to get passengers back to the UK who would otherwise have been stranded due to insufficient alternative capacity in the aviation market at the time of Monarch’s collapse. The CAA made an assessment that there was sufficient capacity in the market for passengers who were in the UK at the time of the collapse to make an alternative flight booking if they wished to do so.

Cycling: Accidents

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the number of road accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians has increased by almost 50 per cent between 2009 and 2015; what assessment they have made of the difficulty of identifying the cyclists who infringe the rules for cyclists; and what consideration they are giving to introducing measures to improve the identification of cyclists.

baroness sugg: The number of road accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians has increased by 51.3 per cent between 2009 and 2015. In 2009 the number of pedestrians hit by a cyclist was 275 compared to 416 in 2015. The Department has made no recent assessment of the difficulties of identifying cyclists; the police consider they have sufficient powers to investigate if they are unsure of a person’s identity. The Cycle Safety Review was announced on 21 September 2017. Phase 1 of the review will consider the case for a new offence for cyclists akin to causing death or serious injury by careless or dangerous driving.

Leader of the House of Lords

Human Rights Joint Select Committee

lord lester of herne hill: To ask the Leader of the House what are the reasons for the delay in establishing the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights.

baroness evans of bowes park: The Joint Committee on Human Rights has now been appointed. The Lords membership was agreed by the House on Wednesday 19 July. The House of Commons agreed its members of the Joint Committee on Monday 30 October. The appointment of Commons Members is a matter for the House of Commons.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Sellafield

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the disposal of chemicals from a laboratory on the Sellafield Site on 21 October, whether there was, or whether there has been at any time, a possible risk to radiological inventory in the surrounding laboratories.

lord henley: The chemicals disposed of on 21 October had been kept within one room of a laboratory facility at Sellafield. This room and the surrounding rooms are not bulk storage areas for radiological inventory, but can contain residues of material.It is Sellafield Ltd’s assessment that, in the unlikely event of an adverse chemical reaction, the effect would have been contained within the building envelope. At no time was a release of radioactivity from the site credible.

Sellafield

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of the disposal of chemicals from a laboratory on the Sellafield Site on 21 October, whether the chemical tetrahydrofuran was contained in a canister or canisters thatshowed visual evidence of crystallisation forming highly-explosive peroxides; and whether any such canisters had been opened previously.

lord henley: The chemicals disposed of at the Sellafield Site on 21 October showed no visible evidence of crystallisation. The containers had been opened previously.

Sellafield

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the disposal of chemicals from a laboratory on the Sellafield Site on 21 October, whether there is any statutory timescale for disposing of tetrahydofuran once it has been exposed to the atmosphere.

lord henley: There is no statutory timescale for disposing of the chemical once it has been exposed to the atmosphere.

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the position of KPMG as administrators to Monarch Airlines, in the light of that firm's commercial relationships with Monarch, Greybull Capital, the owner of Monarch, and Greybull's offshore affiliates.

lord henley: Government does not have a role in the appointment of administrators, nor does it have direct control of their actions. All insolvency practitioners are subject to an insolvency code of ethics, which sets out the fundamental principles of integrity, objectivity and confidentiality.Prior to accepting an insolvency appointment, the insolvency practitioner must check whether the appointment might carry any threat to these fundamental principles, for example a conflict of interest and If the threat cannot be reduced to an acceptable level, they should not accept an appointment.

Shares

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 19 October (HL1971), when they expect to receive the results of their research on the use of share buy-backs by public companies; and when they intend to publish their final conclusions in this regard.

lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy expects to receive the results of this research during the first quarter of 2018. The Government will set out publicly any further areas of enquiry or action soon after this.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

North Korea: Sanctions

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their evaluation of the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on North Korea.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There is an international effort to maximise pressure on the DPRK to change direction from its current unacceptable course. Sanctions play a crucial role in this strategy. UN Security Council Resolution 2270 (March 2016) introduced broader economic sanctions on the DPRK that aim to restrict major sources of revenue used by the DPRK regime to fund its illegal weapons programmes. UNSCRs 2371 (August 2017) and 2375 (September 2017) expanded these sanctions to include sectoral restrictions on the DPRK’s trade in coal, iron, lead, textiles, crude and refined oil, and overseas workers. It has been less than three months since the UN Security Council agreed to the full coal ban, which marked the first sector-wide ban on exports from the DPRK. The first UN Panel of Experts report on implementation of those sanctions will be released in January, with member state implementation reports due on 3 November. Sanctions take time to have effect, but there are early indications of their impact. The Chinese Central Bank has instructed all Chinese banks to comply with UN resolutions, and Chinese businesses were recently given 120 days to divest themselves of joint ventures with DPRK companies. Other countries are also playing their part, for example by restricting visas for DPRK overseas workers or prohibiting all trade with the DPRK. The EU has introduced a raft of measures that go beyond the UN-mandated sanctions, such as an oil ban and reducing the ceiling on hard currency remittances to the DPRK by two-thirds.

Sudan: Human Rights

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes they have identified regarding the protection of human rights in Sudan, in the light of their support for the decision taken by the government of the United States to lift sanctions on Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains concerned about the human rights situation in Sudan, and Sudan is a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We used the fourth session of the Strategic Dialogue this month to agree steps that the Government of Sudan would take to make further progress on human rights issues. We raised discuss specific issues including sexual and gender based violence, freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, and the Convention Against Torture.  The UK welcomed the decision made by the United States permanently to lift bilateral economic sanctions on Sudan, following its judgement that progress had been made in five key areas. These included humanitarian access to conflict-affected regions, non-interference in South Sudan, and maintaining the Government’s cessations of hostilities in Darfur and the Two Areas.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that EU Foreign Ministers, in their forthcoming meeting, respond to the situation affecting the Rohingya people with appropriate action; whether they will advocate reinforcing the arms embargo on the Burmese army, or seek a global arms embargo through the UN Security Council; and what other measures are being considered.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 16 October, securing agreement by member states to the suspension of all Burmese military visits to the EU and a review of all defence cooperation, and to consider additional measures if the situation in Rakhine does not improve. This followed the UK's lead in suspending co-operation with the Burmese military announced by the Prime Minister in SeptemberThe EU retains its arms embargo for Burma, prohibiting the export of arms and equipment that could be used for internal repression. The UK is a vocal supporter of the ongoing retention of the EU arms embargo. Our assessment is that there is insufficient support amongst UN Security Council members for a global arms embargo on Burma.

Burma: Armed Conflict

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that the Burmese army ceases its attacks on civilians in Rakhine, Kachin and northern Shan states to allow unhindered access for international humanitarian aid agencies, human rights monitors and media to all affected areas in those states, and to implement the recommendations of the Rakhine Commission report, chaired by Kofi Annan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to work with international partners to resolve this crisis. We have raised the situation in Rakhine three times at the UN Security Council, which has called for the Burmese authorities to stop the violence and allow humanitarian access. We are considering with other Council members what further steps are needed.The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific reiterated these calls with civilian and military leaders when he visited Burma from 25-27 September. Given the scale of the humanitarian assistance required, we continue to urge the Burmese authorities and the military in particular to allow greater access urgently.The British Government remains concerned over continued human rights abuses in Burma's ethnic border areas, where hostilities are still taking place. We have repeatedly called on the military to end hostilities comprehensively, and on all sides to enter into dialogue towards a sustainable and comprehensive nationwide ceasefire and political reconciliation process. The UK sponsored the UN Human Rights Council resolution in March 2017 which established a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to look into allegations of human right violations in Burma, and supported the Human Rights Council's decision in September 2017 to extend the FFM's mandate to cover the recent outbreak of violence in Rakhine.The UK supports the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission led by Kofi Annan. We welcome the Burmese government's establishment of the Ministerial Implementation Committee for the Rakhine Advisory Commission and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi's announcement on 12 October of the establishment of a civilian force to deliver humanitarian assistance, resettlement of refugees, and long-term development in Rakhine. We are watching closely to ensure her positive words translate into swift action, and stand ready to ensure she gets the international political and technical support needed.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to deploy the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict to Bangladesh to support Rohingya survivors of alleged rape and sexual violence.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: This desperate situation in Rakhine State requires urgent action and was central to the meeting I recently had with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development colleagues are urgently assessing with the UN the level of immediate support being given to survivors of sexual violence who have come forward in Cox's Bazar and what additional medical and psycho-social support the UK can provide. We are also working with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative and humanitarian organisations to determine what capacity exists on the ground for evidence gathering and how the UK can support this work, including the possible deployment of experts from the UK.

Sudan: Foreign Relations

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what specific issues they raised as part of the latest round of the UK–Sudan Strategic Dialogue which took place on 16 and 17 October; and what assessment they have made of the death penalty issuedto Sudanese student Assim Omar Hassan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue provides an important platform to discuss a range of areas of mutual interest with the Government of Sudan.The fourth round of the Dialogue in October covered bilateral relations, the peace process, human rights, development, migration, trade and investment, defence, counter-terrorism, and countering violent extremism.The UK Government is strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. Officials from the British Embassy in Khartoum attended Asim Omer's trial, and are monitoring the continued legal process closely. We raised the case directly at a high level with the Government of Sudan during the Strategic Dialogue, and do so regularly in discussions between our Embassy and the Government in Khartoum.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to (1) Somalia, and (2) the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the implementation of initiatives to prevent sexual violence in conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Responding to the needs of women and girls is a priority of the UK's engagement in Somalia. We are supporting the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development to develop the institutional and legal framework required to address sexual violence. We are also working with the Somali Government and the African Union Mission to Somalia to ensure that police and security forces reflect women's priorities and are able to respond effectively to sexual and gender-based violence. Within communities we engage with men and women to challenge discriminatory social norms, support women's participation in political and peacebuilding processes and build the capacity of service providers to respond to sexual and gender-based violence.We continue to lobby the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to take action to prevent sexual violence in conflict and welcome progress to date. We are concerned by continued accusations that DRC military forces (FARDC) are themselves perpetrators of sexual violence and call on the government to do more to prevent this, including holding perpetrators accountable. We continue to provide funding to organisations working to support victims and increase access to justice, including TRIAL International, Case Matrix Network (CMN), World Vision, Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice (WIGJ) and Unione Internazionale Superiore Generali (UIS).

Burma: Rohingya

lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop the forced deportation of the Rohingya community from Myanmar and to ensure their ongoing safety in Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has raised Burma three times at the UN Security Council (UNSC) since the outbreak of violence in August. On 13 September, we secured the first agreed UNSC press elements on Burma in eight years, which called on the Burmese authorities to stop the violence, and allow humanitarian access. The Security Council discussed Burma in an open session on 28 September. We are actively considering with other Council members further steps in this regard.The Foreign Secretary convened a meeting of foreign ministers at the UN on 18 September which echoed the Security Council's call for an end to the violence. The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific reiterated this call at the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation's ministerial meeting in the margins of the UN General Assembly on 19 September where the UK was praised for its humanitarian and political leadership in response to this crisis. The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific also met Burma's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs at the UN on 20 September and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma on 27 September and reiterated the same messages.The UK supported the UN Human Rights Council's decision in September to extend the mandate of its Fact-Finding Mission to Burma to cover the recent outbreak of violence in Rakhine. I also raised this crisis as part of our formal statement at the Human Rights Council.The Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 16 October, securing agreement by member states to the suspension of all Burmese military visits to the EU and a review of all defence cooperation, and to consider additional measures if the situation in Rakhine does not improve. This followed the UK's lead in suspending co-operation with the Burmese military announced by the Prime Minister in September.

Gaza: Elections

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of Hamas' recent announcement that they are willing to dissolve the Gaza administrative committee and hold general elections.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) return to Gaza on 2 October and the agreement to allow the PA to resume administrative control. However, our policy on Hamas remains clear: they must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements. We expect now to see credible movement towards these conditions, which remain the benchmark against which its intentions should be judged.

Islamic State: War Crimes

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are planning to take under paragraph 6.2.5. of Council of Europe Resolution 2190 (2017) to support the collection and preservation of evidence of Daesh’s crimes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​As part of our efforts to bring Daesh to justice, we are working closely with international partners, including the UN, to support the collection and preservation of evidence of Daesh crimes. On 21 September 2017, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to adopt UK-drafted Resolution 2379, which requests the UN Secretary General to establish an Investigative Team to collect, preserve and store evidence of Daesh crimes. The team will be led by a Special Adviser with a mandate to promote efforts to bring Daesh to justice across the globe. The UK has pledged £1 million to support this team. We have also provided over £8 million since 2012 in support of NGOs gathering evidence and assisting victims in Syria.

Islamic State: War Crimes

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Investigative Team investigates cases of individuals forcibly displaced by Daesh in Iraq, including of Iraqi Christians from Nineveh Plains and of Yazidis from Sinjar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Under UNSCR 2379, the mandate of the Investigative Team (Iraq) will be to support domestic efforts to hold Da'esh accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The UK is supporting efforts to secure justice for all Da'esh's victims.

Department for International Development

Burma: Rohingya

lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current situation of the Rohingya community in Myanmar and those in refugee camps in Bangladesh.

lord bates: The UK Government has been appalled by the allegations of human rights violations against the Rohingya. The UK has repeatedly called on the Burmese authorities to stop the violence in Rakhine state, and allow full humanitarian access to all those living there. In the areas affected by the violence, DFID’s partners are ready to provide emergency food to a further 30,000 people and to treat more than 3,000 severely malnourished children and pregnant women, but have no access right now. DFID has provided an additional £30 million to support the latest influx of refugees in Bangladesh, and our support will provide emergency food for 174,000 people, safe drinking water, emergency latrines and hygiene kits for more than 138,000 people, and emergency shelter for over 130,000 people.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen, what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding allowing aid agencies access to Yemen.

lord bates: We continue to urge all parties to the conflict to facilitate rapid and safe access for humanitarian aid in Yemen.Most recently, on Sunday 15 October the Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, met representatives of the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen and stressed the importance of ensuring that the humanitarian community can reach Yemeni people in desperate need.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what UK aid is being spent to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

lord bates: The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh. DFID has worked for many years in Cox’s Bazar and has stepped up efforts with an additional £30 million to support the latest influx of refugees. Our support will provide emergency food for 174,000 people, lifesaving nutritional support to more than 60,000 children under-five and over 21,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, safe drinking water, emergency latrines and hygiene kits for more than 138,000 people, and emergency shelter for over 130,000 people.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of access to sexual and reproductive health services for Rohingya families in refugee camps in Bangladesh.

baroness uddin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support, if any, is being provided by UK Aid Direct in partnership with the government of Bangladesh and non-governmental organisations, to Rohingya refugee women who are seeking abortion services as a result of being raped.

lord bates: Sexual and Reproductive Health Services are an essential part of the Rohingya humanitarian response, with more than 70,000 pregnant or nursing women among the new arrivals. Aid Direct funds are not being used, but our bilateral support will cover a full range of services of sexual and reproductive health services in line with good humanitarian practice. We will provide access to female bathing cubicles and sanitary items for more than 35,000 girls and women, counselling and psychological support for over 10,000 women suffering from the trauma of war and over 2,000 survivors of sexual violence; and medical help for over 50,000 pregnant women to give birth safely. We are providing the support described through a range of partners including United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF, Oxfam, Save the Children and ACF (Action against hunger), and we are supporting UNFPA to set up and run 13 sexual and reproductive health clinics.

Yemen: Cholera

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to encourage the World Health Organisation to address and formulate policy to deal with the outbreak of cholera in Yemen; whether this is the largest and fastest-spreading outbreak of cholera in modern history; and whether the majority of those affected are children.

lord bates: We continue to encourage the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other agencies to respond more effectively to the cholera outbreak in Yemen.The current cholera outbreak in Yemen is the fastest-spreading on record. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the majority of those affected are children. As of October 2017, 56% of the 862,858 suspected cases affect children under 18, and 26% affect children under 5.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impactthat the non-renewal of UN Security Council Resolution 2165 would have on humanitarian access in Syria.

lord bates: Over three million people have received humanitarian support so far under resolution 2165, which allows much needed aid to be delivered cross-border into Syria without the consent of the regime. The UK is committed to its renewal and is working with our international partners to secure this.

Gaza: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support and promote the provision of adequate health care to the civilian population of Gaza, particularly children, in the light of World Health Organisation reports that over 42 per cent of Palestinian requests for permits to travel to hospital appointments outside Gaza were denied or delayed by Israel in April.

lord bates: The UK is a long tem supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), which provides basic services to 1.3 million people in Gaza, including basic health care. Additionally, the UK will support approximately 1 million Gazans by providing clean water, rehabilitating sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene standards to stop the spread of disease through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). We will continue to urge the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to take steps to improve conditions in Gaza.

Burma: Rohingya

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have committed to date to assist with the Rohingya refugee crisis.

lord bates: The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the Rohingya refugee crisis. In addition to the £35m the UK had committed since the start of this crisis, on October 23rd the UK announced a further £12m of support, bringing the UK total to £47m. This funding is already delivering important relief on the ground, including providing food to 174,000 people, safe water and sanitation for more than 138,000 people and emergency shelter for over 130,000 people. In addition, emergency nutrition support will reach more than 60,000 children under five and 21,000 pregnant and lactating women, counselling and psychological support will reach over 10,000 women suffering from the trauma of war and over 2,000 survivors of sexual violence, and provide medical assistance for over 50,000 pregnant women.

Department for Education

Nurses: Training

lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students entered university nursing courses in each academic year since 2010, including those who started in the current academic year 2017–18.

viscount younger of leckie: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students enrolled at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Latest statistics refer to the academic year 2015/16 and can be found at the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/12-01-2017/sfr242-student-enrolments-and-qualifications. Information on entrants to nursing courses since 2009/10 are provided in the below table. Statistics for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 academic years will be published in January 2018 and 2019 respectively. All Entrants to Nursing Courses at UK HEIs - Department for Education (DfE) Analysis of the HESA student record  Academic Year Number of Entrants 2009/1097,4202010/1188,0102011/1286,1402012/1375,3852013/1478,4802014/1581,4802015/1683,610   Source: DfE Analysis of the HESA student recordNotes:Figures include entrants on all levels and all modes of study.Counts are on the basis of full-person equivalents (FPE). Where a student is studying more than one subject, they are apportioned between the subjects that make up their course.Includes FPE students with course aims in the Joint Academic Coding system (JACS3) category of (B7) Nursing which is part of the subject area ‘Subjects allied to medicine’. More information is available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/jacs/jacs3-principal.Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision of, and access to, educational materials for girls whose education has been disrupted due to symptoms developed after human papilloma virus vaccination.

lord agnew of oulton: All children regardless of their circumstances are entitled to a good education and the necessary support to attain it. Schools have a duty to ensure that arrangements are made to support pupils with medical needs to have full access to education. Where health needs mean a child of compulsory school age would not receive suitable education due to health needs, including because they cannot attend school, local councils have a duty to ensure that alternative education arrangements are put in place.The education must be full time, or as close to full time as in the best interests of the child, because of their health needs, and it must be on par with what the child would have received if they were in a mainstream school.

Home Education

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children were receiving home education in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what arrangements are in place to ensure that this education enables children to experience a broad and balanced curriculum as required by legislation.

lord agnew of oulton: No information is collected centrally on the numbers of children in England being educated at home. Under section 7 of the Education Act 1996, parents are responsible for ensuring that a child of compulsory school age receives an efficient full-time education suitable to his or her age, ability, aptitudes, also any special educational needs and disabilities that the child has. There is no specific legal requirement for a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ and parents who educate children at home have freedom to devise their own curriculum and pedagogical approach. Local councils have a duty to identify, so far as possible, children who are not receiving an education which meets the requirements in section 7, and as part of that process will consider the educational provision made when it appears that it may not be suitable for the child in question.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of increases in the number of rough sleepers and people placed in temporary accommodation, they plan to assess the impact of reforms to the welfare system on homelessness, and, in addition, the effect of such reforms on the extent of food and fuel poverty.

baroness buscombe: The causes of homelessness are numerous and complex. There is currently no clear evidence of the impact of welfare reform amongst all of the other potential causes of homelessness; homelessness reflects a combination of individual, local and national factors. The Department for Work and Pensions will continue to work with the Department for Communities and Local Government to improve our understanding of local housing markets and welfare reform, helping us evaluate fully the causes of homelessness. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has just commenced a review of the UK Food Security Assessment – a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of food security, including household food security. Fuel poverty occurs when households have a combination of higher than average energy costs and lower than average incomes. The Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are working together to understand issues relating to welfare reform and energy costs.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Landlord and Tenant

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their decision to require landlords to be part of a redress scheme will include long-lease landlords, as well as management companies and those charging a fee for the administration of a long lease or freehold management scheme.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Secretary of State recently announced a package of measures to better protect tenants including that all letting agents will have to register with an appropriate organisation, and that all landlords will have to be part of a redress scheme. This will give landlords and tenants confidence that their agent is meeting minimum standards.On 18 October, my Department published a call for evidence seeking views on the regulation of letting and managing agents in the private rented and leasehold sectors. It includes questions on the scope and objectives of any regulation, including the types of services that should be included and classes of people or property professionals who should be covered by any regulator.The call for evidence closes on 29 November and an announcement will be made in due course .

Holiday Accommodation

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 14 September (HL1598), whether they will consider setting up a system under which local authorities would, for a registration fee, have the right to confirm that a holiday let is legally in accordance with the terms of the letter’s mortgage or tenancy agreement.

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 14 September (HL1597) that no consultations have been carried out, what plans they have to consult local authorities on a register of short-term holiday let tenants.

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 14 September (HL1596), how many London boroughs have sought consent from the Secretary of State to remove the freedom to short-term let for 90 nights from a property; and whether they have any plans to publicise this procedure to London boroughs.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We have no plans to set up or consult on a local authority register in respect of short term holiday letting eligibility or tenants. One borough sought consent from the Secretary of State to direct that the right to short-term let without planning permission for up to 90 nights in a year should not apply to particular residential properties. The planning practice guidance sets out the criteria the Secretary of State will apply in considering whether to give consent. [The guidance can be found at paragraph: 111 reference ID: 13-111-20160519]

Sheffield City Region

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, if the proposed consultation on the Sheffield City Region deal does not proceed, what alternative steps they will take to proceed with the devolution agreement.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: If the leaders of the Sheffield City Region do not at some stage undertake the consultation, they will have chosen to walk away from the deal denying the people of the City Region some £1 billion investment from Government and the opportunity for the area to have new powers on transport, development, and skills. But as the Government has made clear, we remain committed to the deal and the mayoral election on 3 May 2018 for which Parliament has legislated. Even without devolved powers and budgets the election of such a mayor is not without benefits for the City Region, since the elected mayor would be a significant figure who would both be chair of the combined authority and could take their place as the voice of the city region alongside the other city region mayors in the Northern Powerhouse and in other forums with Government or stakeholders.

Taunton Deane Borough Council: West Somerset Council

lord skelmersdale: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to decide on the merger of Taunton Deane and West Somerset District Councils.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is currently considering the merger proposal submitted by West Somerset District Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council together with all the representations it has received to date on this matter, and intends as soon as practicable to announce how it is minded to proceed. There will then be a reasonable period for those interested to make further representations before my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, makes his final decision on whether, subject to Parliamentary approval, to implement the proposal.

Department for International Trade

Import Duties

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the President of the United States regarding the agreement between theEU and the UK about how to split the EU's existing tariff rate quotas under the shared schedule at the World Trade Organisation.

baroness fairhead: The Government discusses trade issues with the US on a regular basis, including through the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group. UK and EU officials have also discussed tariff rate quotas (TRQs) with the US and other counterparts in Geneva. These discussions cover, among other things, data and methodologies, for apportioning tariff-rate quotas. The Government’s dialogue with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Membership is ongoing. We will work closely with the EU and other WTO members, to ensure a simple, fair, and transparent transition for all parties that minimises disruption to our trading relationships. It is the Government's intention to respect and preserve existing rights and commitments in the WTO.It should also be noted that the UK is a full and founding member of the WTO and already has schedules which it shares at present with the EU Member States.

Department of Health

Social Services: Fees and Charges

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 12 October (HL Deb, cols 292–5), when the consultation on the cap and the floor for social care funding will take place; how long it will last; who will be consulted; and when they decided that further consultation was needed.

lord o'shaughnessy: We will work to address the challenges of social care for our ageing population, bringing forward proposals for consultation to build widespread support. The Government wants to ensure there is a balanced package that supports quality and dignified care, as well as financial sustainability, for future generations. The Government has already invested an additional £2 billion to put social care on a more stable footing and alleviate short-term pressures across the health and care system. However, further reform is required to ensure that the system is prepared to meet the challenges of the increasing numbers of over 75s. We will consult on options, which will include a capital floor and an absolute limit on the amount people can be asked to pay, and are keen to hear different views on the cap, including its level and design. The Government will work with partners at all levels, including those who use services and who work to provide care, to bring forward proposals for public consultation and will provide further details on the next steps on social care in due course.

Pregnancy: Folic Acid

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes, if any, they have made in the past two years in relation to raising awareness among women of child bearing age of the need to take folic acid supplements prior to conception.

lord o'shaughnessy: Key components of pre-conception care include healthy lifestyle advice and support and advice for women with pre-existing conditions. General advice and health education messages are provided in a range of settings targeted at women of childbearing age. Information is also available online via NHS Choices and includes folic acid supplementation and advice on seeing a healthcare professional as early in pregnancy as possible. The Department supports the NHS Choices recommendations that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day prior to conception and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, as it can help prevent neural tube defects.

Clinical Audit

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many National Clinical Audits and Patient Outcome Audits there are currently in NHS England under theHealthcare Quality Improvement Partnership; (2) what percentage of care costs and English disability adjusted life years these audits cover; and (3) which diseases currently have patient reported outcomes, and which will have by next year.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England has advised that there are 38 projects currently within the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) Portfolio, which are at different stages of the commissioning cycle and comprise of 30 National Clinical Audits (NCA) and six Clinical Outcome Review Programmes or Mortality Review Programmes. The audits’ primary focus is not care costs or disability adjusted life years. The audits are predominately based upon National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evidence-based guidelines, technology appraisals and quality standards. NICE takes into account both clinical and cost effectiveness (mainly Quality Adjusted Life Years) where appropriate, and the clinical evidence exists to enable this. The audits commissioned by NCAPOP use the NICE evidence-based outputs as a foundation for the metrics collected so that where possible the audits are based upon a sound pre-existing evidence base. The exception where care costs are investigated is health economic work undertaken by the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme. The following NCAs include patient reported outcomes (PROMS): - the National Audit of Psychosis, awarded in March 2017, will collect PROMs in year two of its contract (2018-19) and will likely report these at the end of 2019 as part of the annual report;- the National Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit, which ran from 2013 to 2016, collected data on PROMS (capturing disease activity and impact of disease). This audit has been recommissioned (contract commenced October 2017) and will once again incorporate PROMs. It is due to report in year two of its contract (2018-19);- the National Ophthalmology Audit is undertaking a study to examine the feasibility of collecting cataract PROMs data. This will likely be published in 2018-19;- the National Bowel Cancer Audit has undertaken a study to examine the feasibility of reporting PROMs. This is expected to be published later in 2017; and- the National Prostate Cancer Audit has collected PROMs data, which is likely to be reported in 2018. The project is being recommissioned and there is currently provision for a national collection of PROMs and patient reported experience measure data within year three of the new contract (2020-21).

Cancer: Health Services

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the National Cancer Taskforce in the reportAchieving world-class cancer outcomes: A strategy for England 2015–2020, and in particular (1) whether the “patient experience on par with clinical effectiveness and safety” workstreams have been established; (2) if established, when their implementation plans will be published; and (3) when the first pilots of patient reported outcomes are due to report.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England's national cancer programme regularly publishes reports demonstrating progress on implementing the cancer strategy for England. On 18 October 2017, a two year progress report on the strategy was published. Improving patient experience is a strategic priority of the strategy. The implementation plan for the strategy was published in May 2016 and work is underway on the patient experience ambitions set out in that plan. Copies of Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020 Progress Report 2015-2020 and Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: Taking the Strategy Forward implementation plan are attached. We have developed a long-term quality of life metric, which uses patient reported outcomes questionnaires to show how well people are living 12 to 24 months after treatment. This is now being piloted across five cancer alliances and a full evaluation will be published prior to roll out in 2019.



Cancer strategy
(PDF Document, 577.11 KB)




Implementation plan
(PDF Document, 2.82 MB)

Prostate Cancer: Surgery

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government where prostate cancer patients may find clear and easily accessible information regarding the variation in rates of incontinence and impotence after radicalprostatectomy across the various providers in NHS England; and what are the lowest and highest rates of post-operative incontinence across NHS centres providing that procedure.

lord o'shaughnessy: This information is not currently collected centrally.

Medicine: Research

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to allowing the routine and pseudonymised linking of existing care audit clinical outcome data to NHS activity data in order to make the UK a more attractive destination for medical research and innovation.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England funds the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NACPOP) which comprises up to 40 audits and reviews, managed by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP). National clinical audits commissioned through the NCAPOP already, in most cases, link clinical outcome data to activity data such as the Hospital Episodes Statistics to give a rounded picture of the quality of care. NHS England is currently working with NHS Digital and HQIP to explore how to further improve the ability to link the data, as well as the timeliness and accessibility of clinical audit. The aim is to optimise use of the data to support effective commissioning of healthcare services and stimulate improvement in the quality of care by, for example, linking with electronic patient records in the future. There are no limitations on who may apply for the data. In order to maximise the potential of the data for uses such as medical research and innovation, NHS Digital, who carry out some of the audits on behalf of HQIP, aim to share data wherever possible, subject to the appropriate legal and confidentiality requirements being met to safeguard public trust. All requests for pseudonymised and identifiable data under the Data Controllership of NHS Digital are managed through its central Data Access Request Service.

Patients: Safety

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to bring forward the Patient Safety Bill announced in the Queen's Speech in June.

lord o'shaughnessy: Patient safety has been a key priority for this Government and we have made huge strides to ensure patients have access to high quality healthcare. Following the Queen’s Speech in June, the Government committed to publishing a bill to establish a new independent body to investigate serious patient safety incidents in the National Health Service, with a focus on learning. The Health Service Safety Investigations Bill was laid in draft in Parliament on 14 September 2017 and will undergo a period of pre-legislative scrutiny. Following pre-legislative scrutiny, introduction of the Bill will depend on parliamentary time being available.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of girls diagnosed with mental health problems shortly after human papilloma virus vaccination, particularly when there has been no record of previous mental health disorder or serious health issues prior to vaccination.

lord o'shaughnessy: As with all vaccines and medicines, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) closely monitors the safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The MHRA takes advice from the Government's independent expert advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), when evaluating the risks and benefits of medicines and vaccines. The MHRA takes account of all available sources of safety data, including reports of suspected side effects submitted through the Yellow Card Scheme. A Yellow Card report is not proof of a side effect occurring, but a suspicion by the reporter that the vaccine may have been the cause. Such reports are kept under continual review. Since 2008, at least three million girls have been vaccinated with HPV vaccine across the United Kingdom. Through the Yellow Card Scheme, 341 reports included a suspected psychiatric event. The detailed medical history is not always provided in Yellow Card reports. Evaluation of such reports does not indicate a causal association with the HPV vaccine. In July 2015, the CHM thoroughly reviewed the safety of HPV vaccines and concluded that the evidence does not support a link between HPV vaccination and the development of chronic illnesses.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long the three vaccination regime for human papilloma virus, in the form of Gardasil, Gardasil 9 or Cervarix, maintains protection against infection.

lord o'shaughnessy: Current evidence from clinical trials has demonstrated that protection against targeted human papilloma virus types following vaccination using Cervarix lasts for at least nine years and at least eight years for Gardasil. The immunological evidence supports expectations that these vaccines will protect for much longer. The duration of protection for Gardasil 9 is not yet known.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health recognises Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which develops up to six months after vaccination with human papilloma virus vaccine as a symptom of an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

lord o'shaughnessy: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a condition that occurs naturally in the age group eligible for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has completed a United Kingdom epidemiological study which found no evidence to suggest that HPV vaccine may increase the risk of developing CFS. The results of this study were published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in 2013. This finding is further supported by the results of a recent population-based study in Norway, which similarly found no evidence of a causal association between HPV vaccine and CFS. Copies of HPV vaccination and risk of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: A nationwide register-based study from Norway and Bivalent human papillomavirus vaccine and the risk of fatigue syndromes in girls in the UK are attached.



HPV vaccination Norway study
(PDF Document, 374.14 KB)




HPV vaccination: girls in the UK
(PDF Document, 439.96 KB)

Pregnancy: Health Education

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they measure the effectiveness of advice given to women of child bearing age planning a pregnancy according to (1) socio-economic group, (2) ethnicity, and (3) regional location, and if so, how.

lord o'shaughnessy: No assessment has been made of the effectiveness of advice given to women of child bearing age planning a pregnancy according to socio-economic group, ethnicity, and regional location.

Drugs: Side Effects

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have in place to ensure that adverse reactions to drugs and vaccines are reported and acknowledged, and that appropriate medical treatment is subsequently provided to the individuals concerned.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) encourages anyone to report a suspected adverse reaction to a vaccine or medicine through the Yellow Card Scheme. Every report in which the necessary contact details are provided is acknowledged. The MHRA has a Yellow Card strategy to promote the Scheme and facilitate reporting; most recently this has included the development of a mobile reporting app and a European social media campaign, coordinated by the MHRA. A Yellow Card report is not proof of a side effect occurring, but a suspicion by the reporter that the vaccine may have been the cause. Such reports are kept under continual review to identify potential new risks. The clinical investigation and care of individuals is the responsibility of their doctors and other healthcare providers who will take appropriate action based on the needs of their patients.

Congenital Abnormalities

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the scale of thelifetime direct medical costs associated with births affected by neural tube defects compared to those unaffected.

lord o'shaughnessy: No assessment has been made by the Department of the lifetime direct medical costs associated with births affected by neural tube defects. As part of a National Institute of Health and Care Excellence study, Examining the Cost-Effectiveness of Moving the Healthy Start Vitamin Programme from a Targeted To a Universal Offering, A. Filby, M. Taylor, M. Jenks, and V. Birley estimated the additional lifetime healthcare cost of a person born with spina bifida to be £94,458. A copy of this report is attached.



Healthy Start Programme
(PDF Document, 1.8 MB)

Pregnancy: Folic Acid

lord rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest estimate of the percentage of women of child-bearing age who are deficient in folic acid.

lord o'shaughnessy: Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey provides data on total serum folate and red blood cell folate levels in women of childbearing age in the United Kingdom based on blood samples collected from 2008-2012. 7% of women of childbearing age (16-49 years) had red blood cell folate levels below the clinical threshold indicating risk of anaemia (305 nanomoles per litre (nmol/l)). 3% of women of childbearing age had serum total folate levels below the clinical threshold used by World Health Organization to indicate folate deficiency (6.8nmol/l) and 33% had levels below the threshold indicating possible deficiency (13nmol/l).